Ship repair equipment



Jan. 11, 1938. J, H SEGEL 2,105,014

SHIP REPAIR EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. l2, 1936 Patented Jan. 11, 1938 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHIP REPAIR EQUIPMENT John H. Segel, Glendale, Calif.

Application October 12, 1936, Serial No. 105,276

' 1o claims. (C1. 114-222) My invention relates to ship repair and subadjacent ends of sections of the waterproof sheath merged hull maintenance equipment, and has for and showing the construction of the waterproof its principal object the provision of a relatively joint that is provided between the said sections. simple, practical and easily handled apparatus Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of a exible that includes a flexible sheath for the hulls of skeleton structure that is connected Vto the upper 5 vessels, and also a floating crib that combines portion of the crib and which extends downwardly with the sheath and which enables the hulls of between the waterproof sheath and the hull of vessels to be scraped, painted, overhauled and rethe vessel. paired without the necessity of placing the ship Referring by numerals to the accompanying in dry-dock. drawing which illustrates a preferred embodil0 Further, my improved ships hull repair and ment of my invention, I0, I0 designates large maintenance equipment enables Workmen to consections of flexible waterproof material, for inveniently reach any portion of the hull below the stance heavy closely woven canvas, or fabric that water while making inspections, repairs, the has been treated to render it waterproof, said changing of propeller blades, or repairs and adsections being of suicient length to cover the 15 justments to the rudder. bottom of a vessel and to extend upwardly on the The repair maintenance equipment may be sides thereof to a plane wholly above the waterused at any time, but it is particularly intended line and the width of said sections may vary as for use while the equipped ship is docked for the desired.

loading or discharge of its cargo, thus eliminat- Seated in the upper edges of the sections of 20 ing the loss of time in making repairs upon ships waterproof material are eyelets II in which are that move on schedule. secured the lower ends of lines I2, the upper ends A further object of my invention is to provide in thereof being provided with hooks I3 that engage a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance over the ships rail.

equipment a sheath or cover for the entire lower The vertical edges of the sections of water- 25 portion of the ships hull, which sheath or cover proof material I0 are embedded in strips I4 of comprises a number of detachably connected secrubber 0r rubber COIIIDOST/OH and the free edge tions of flexible waterproof material, such as of the strip on one end of each sheet terminates heavy canvas or rubberized fabric, said sheath bein a rib or bead I5 that is preferably round in ing supported4 by lines from the ships rail and the cross section and which is adapted to engage in 30 crib that is used in connection with the flexible a channel IB that is formed on the Vfree edge of waterproof sheath comprising buoyant members the Strip I4 011 the DBX?? adjacent Section IB. that are arranged on the exterior of the water- Thus when the waterproof sections IQ are asproof sheath and having associated therewith a sembled to cover the lower portion of the hull flexible skeletonvstructure that is interposed beof a vessel, each rib or bead I5 is inserted length- 35 tween the waterproof sheath and the surface of wise into the adjacent Channel I6, thus DIOVdthe hun of the vessel in order to provide ample ing a flexible and at the same time a Waterproof working space for the workmen engaged in makjoint between the ends of the sections I0. Inasing inspections, repairs and the like. much as the rib or bead I5 and the channel I6 With the foregoing and other objects in view, are formed of rubber they will flex or bend read- 40 my invention consists in certain novel features of ily and conform to the transverse curvature of construction and arrangement of parts that will the hull of the vessel.

be hereinafter more fully described and claimed The outer ends of the sections I0 that are posiand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in tioned adjacent the ends of the hull are both prowhich: vided with ribs or beads I5 that slide lengthwise 45 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ship and into channels Il that are formed in a heavy showing my improved repair and maintenance strip I8 of rubber, thus providing waterproof equipment in position thereupon. f joints between the vertical edges of the water- Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately prooi sections I0 at both ends of the hull (see on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4). 50

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken ap- 'Ihe crib that is utilized in connection with the proximately on the line 3--3 ofFig.1. sheath formed by the waterproof sheets I 0 is Fig.Y 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section preferably formed in identical sections, any taken'on the line 4--4 of Fig. l. number of which may be assembled to provide Fig.5 is a perspective view of portions of the a crib of the desired length, and each section 55 comprises a pair of hollow members I9 and 2U that are formed of sheet-metal or the like.

The member 20 of each section of the crib has less thickness than the member IS and when the crib is applied to a vessel that is tied up to a dock, such construction conserves space between the vessel and the Vertical face of said dock. l

To protect the relatively thin member 2@ of each crib section, a suitable buffer 2l is applied to the outer face of said member 2i), The members I9 and 2li are made waterand airtight in order that they may be lled or partially lled with water when they are submerged so as to be positioned beneath the hull of a vessel and after the water in the cribhas been pumped out said members are rendered buoyant, thereby tending to maintain the crib against the underside of the hull.

The lower portions of the members I9 and 2li are extended toward each other, as designated by 22, and these extensions are positioned beneath the hull of the vessel when the crib is applied for use.

Connecting the ends of the crib members I9 and 2i) are rails 23 that are adjustably connected to said crib members by bolts 24 that pass through apertures in said rails, and as a result of this construction the crib members I9 and 2i) maybe moved toward or away from each other and firmly secured in their adjusted positions so as to accommodate vessels hulls of different widths.

The upper ends of the hollow crib members IIS and 29 are provided with openings 25 normally closed by plugs or caps 26, thus providing means for admitting water to the crib members, or to permit said water to be pumped from said members.

Associated with each crib member 22 and arranged on the inner side thereof, is a jointed skeleton framework which, when the equipment is in use, occupies a position between the waterproof sheath and the surface of the hull of the vessel. This structure is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, and it comprises a series of substantially inverted L-shaped members, each of which is composed of a horizontally disposed portion 27 and an upright or inclined portion 28.

The end oi the horizontal portion 27 of the upper one of said inverted L-shaped members is connected by a suitable hinge or pivot 29 to the upper inner corner of the adjacent crib member 22, and each of the succeeding lower sections of this structure has the end of its horizontal leg connected by a hinge or pivot 3i! to the lower end of the vertical or inclined leg 28 of the next adjacent upper member of the structure.

Thus a flexible skeleton structure is provi-ded which occupies a position between the sheath and the hull of the vessel, thereby holding the sheath away from the hull to provide working space and scaffolding or boards may be applied to the hori- Zontal members of this structure in order to provide supports for the workmen. This particular structure is made in sections that are hinged or pivoted to each other in order that the structure will conform to the various cross sectional contours of the hull of a vessel. I

While not in use, the waterproof sheath may be folded together and packed into the space between the crib members 22 and the flexible skeleton structures on the inner sides thereof, and to apply the sheath to the hull, the crib containing the sheath is submerged in front or to the rear of the hull and then moved longitudinally of the hull and the sheath is manipulated so that it is unfolded as the crib moves lengthwise, thus leaving the sheath positioned beneath and to the sides of the hull and suspended by the lines After the ends of the sheath are connected by the flexible strips I8, the water Within the sheath is pumped out, after which the crib is moved lengthwise of the hull of the vessel to the desired position where inspection or repairs are to be made, and after the skeleton framework has been properly positioned between the sheath and the hull of the vessel, the water is pumped out of the crib to render the same buoyant so it will rise to the desired elevation.

If desirable or necessary, panels 27a of wood or metal may be secured to the rear or outer portion of each of the inverted L-shaped members to serve as stays to prevent the canvas or flexible waterproof material from being pressed too far inwardly between said members by the pressure of the water against the outer face of said canvas (see Fig. 6).

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment that is relatively simple in construee tion, capable of being readily applied to or removed from the hull of a ship or vessel, and said equipment enabling the hulls of ships to be scraped, painted, overhauled Vand repaired without the necessity for placing the vessels in dry dock.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a sheath for covering the lower portion of the hull of the ship, said sheath comprising a plurality of sections of iiexible water-proof material arranged end to end, joints between said sections transversely disposed relative to the ship-s hull to which the equipment is applied, comprising a strip of exible material secured to one end of each sheath section, said flexible section being provided with a longitudinally disposed channel, the opening into which channel is narrower than the inner p0rtion of said channel, a strip of flexible material secured to the other end of each sheath section, the outer edge of which last-mentioned strip of flexible material terminates in a rib that is adapted to be removably seated in the channel in the edge of the next adjacent sheath section.

2; In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a sheath for covering the lower portion of the hull of the ship, said sheath comprising a plurality of sections of flexible water-proof material, arranged end to end joints between said sections transversely disposed relative to the Vships hull to which the equipment is applied, a flexible rib secured to one end of each sheath section, a flexible tubular socket on the other end of each section, which socket is adapted to receive said flexible rib and the diameter of which rib is greater than the opening of said tubular socket.

3. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a sheath for covering the lower portions of the hull of the ship, said sheath comprising a plurality of sections of flexible water-proof material, arranged end to end joints between said sections transversely disposed relative to the ships hull to which the equipment is applied, flexible water-proof joints between the ends of said sections, each joint comprising a strip of exible material secured to one end of each sheath section, said flexible section being provided with a longitudinally disposed channel, the opening into which channel is narrower than the inner portion of said channel, a strip of ilexible material secured to the other end of each sheath section, the outer edgeof which lastrnentioned strip of flexible material terminates in a rib that is adapted to be removably seated in the channel in the edge of the next adjacent sheath section.

4. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a sheath for covering the lower portion of the hull of the ship, said sheath comprising a plurality of sections of flexible water-prooi material, arranged end to end, joints between said sections transversely disposed relative to the ships hull to which the equipment is applied, comprising a flexible rib on one end of each section, a tubular socket on the other end of each section, which socket is adapted to receive said flexible rib, the openings in the tubular socket being narrower than the diameter of the rim that is inserted in said socket and means providing a flexible water-proof joint between the outer ends of the end sections of said sheath.

5. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a sheath composed of flexible water-proof material arranged to cover the .lower portion and sides of a ships hull, buoyant crib members arranged on opposite sides of said sheath, flexibly connected skeleton members sustained from the upper portion of said crib members and extending downwardly between the sheath and hull of the ship and a panel carried by each skeleton member.

6. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintanance equipment, a sheath composed of ilexible material arranged to cover the lower portion and sides of a ships hull, buoyant crib members arranged on opposite sides of said sheath, flexibly connected members sustained from the upper portions of said crib members and extending downwardly between the sheath and hull of the ship, a panel carried by each of said flexibly connected members and means for adjustably connecting the lower portions of said crib members.

'7. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, the combination with a sheath of flexible water-proof material arranged to cover the lower portion and sides of the hull of a ship, of crib members positioned adjacent the sides of said sheath, said crib members being provided with water chambers and openings for the inlet and outlet of water, flexibly connected skeleton frames sustained from the upper portions of said crib members and extending downwardly between the sheath and the hull of the ship and a panel carried by each of said flexibly connected members.

8. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, the combination with a sheath of flexible water-proof material arranged to cover the lower portion and sides of the hull of a ship, of crib members positioned adjacent the sides of said sheath, said crib members being provided with water chambers and openings for the inlet and outlet of water, flexibly connected skeleton frames sustained from the upper portions of said crib members and extending downwardly between the sheath and the hull of the ship, a panel carried by each of said flexibly connected members and means adjustably connecting the lower portions of said crib members and holding them in spaced relation.

9. In a ship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, a pair of crib members arranged to occupy positions adjacent the sides of a ships hull adjustable means connecting the lower portions of said crib members, said crib members being provided with water chambers and with openings for the admission and discharge of water, flexibly connected skeleton frames suspended from the upper portions of said crib members and extending downwardly adjacent the inner faces of said crib members, a panel carried by each skeleton frame, a flexible sheath of waterproof material arranged between said skeleton frames and the inner faces of said crib members.

10. In aship repair and submerged hull maintenance equipment, pairs of crib members arranged to occupy positions adjacent the sides of a ships hull, said crib members being provided with water chambers and with openings for the admission and discharge of water, flexibly connected skeleton frames suspended from the upper portions of said crib members, and extending downwardly adjacent the inner faces of said crib members, a panel carried by each skeleton frame, adjustable means for connecting the lower portions of said crib members to hold the same in spaced relation and a sectional sheath of flexible waterproof material arranged between said skeleton frames and the inner faces of said cribs.

JOHN H. SEGEL. 

